About
Strengthening performance to deepen impact.
Approach
Our Approach and History
To do this we employ an Integrated Strategic Change model - refined through years in the field - that integrates business strategy (head), organizational design (hands), and change management (heart). While many practice from one discipline or the other we firmly believe in the synergistic potential of all working together.
The name 'JDBrownfields' connotes the moment at the end of winter; the rise of hope, untapped potential and opportunity. Our name was also chosen in honour of a teacher, Mr. Brownfield, who encouraged Janet's father to pursue his dream to become a physician.
For both Janet and David, JDBrownfields is about fostering the courage in leaders to move things forward, expand their vision and make positive change for organizations, teams and individuals. Our client relationships have been long-term, and we are very proud to be a part of their journey.
Consulting Services
Consulting Services
- 01
- Strategic Planning
- 02
- Change Management
- 03
- Meeting Facilitation
Associates
Janet Brown

Janet holds an honours BA in Psychology, an MBA, and a Masters of Science in Organization Development (MSOD). Janet has partially completed a PhD program at Fielding Graduate University focused on Human and Organizational systems. Prior to developing her own consulting company, Janet was a principal with Ernst and Young in their health care practice.
Janet has a depth of experience working with a wide range of organizations including St. Michael’s Hospital, the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Women’s College Hospital, CritiCall Ontario, Hamilton Health Sciences, SickKids, and Cancer Care Ontario.
In addition to supporting these organizations (and many others) as an external consultant, Janet worked internally as Director of Organization Development at Levi Strauss Canada and as a senior leader of the Business Transformation Office at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. Early in her career, Janet held several management roles at the Dellcrest Children’s Centre and subsequently served on their Board of Directors. Janet also served on the Board of Directors of the Toronto General Hospital during the amalgamation process with the Toronto Western Hospital.
Janet has supported several multiyear efforts to launch new Centres or programs, most notably the Learning Institute at SickKids, the Occupational Cancer Research Centre at CCO, the Centre of Research Expertise in Occupational Disease (CREOD), and MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital.
Projects
MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions
MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions
This large research centre at St. Michael’s Hospital works with community partners to develop and test on-the-ground solutions for complex urban health issues - many at the intersection of health and inequality.
I joined the centre to support what would be a seismic shift in its funding model and strategic plan.
I led a business planning process that aligned a set of diverse research programs with a common vision for impact. The new plan is a roadmap to grow the centre and support scale-up of the most promising solutions to impact policy change at local, provincial and national levels. Alongside centre leadership, I continue to support and track the plan’s implementation.
Since the centre was founded, the landscape had changed; it urgently needed a new funding model. I worked with MAP and an external agency to develop and launch a new brand and marketing campaign to build awareness for the issues and to attract investments from government and private donors. The centre has now successfully transitioned to a more sustainable mix of research and centre operational funding.

Projects
Tim Horton Children’s Foundation (Tim Horton Camps)
Tim Horton Children’s Foundation (Tim Horton Camps)
The Foundation’s executive team and board of directors engaged me to support a fundamental shift in business strategy. After decades of offering one-time camp visits to youth from low-income families, THCF was ready to shift to a multi-year program model that coordinates camp, school and community experiences.
This was a big step for the organization and a giant leap in commitment to the youth they serve.
I worked closely with the Foundation’s executive director, the senior team and Foundation Board members to develop a transformational strategic plan. I also provided change management support as they developed and rolled out an implementation plan. The plan required the active engagement of Tim Horton’s franchisee owners as well as community partners. The plan required the development of evidenced-based skill and leadership levels for youth, new levels of competency for staff, and renewed management policies and procedures to manage increasing levels of operational complexity.
Once commitment to the strategy was confirmed, the team agreed to move very quickly. As an exciting development, the team built impact measures into the new youth programming model, to allow for ongoing evaluation and learning over time. With time, their approach has the potential to become a model for innovative youth development in Canada and beyond.
The canoe image adjacent was developed to conceptualize the change journey and the key elements of the strategy. It served as a critical communication tool. And... the journey continues!
5-Year Strategic Plan 2017-2021

Projects
Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease (CREOD)
Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease (CREOD)
I have spent over 20 years working within the Ontario health and safety system, beginning with a role leading the business transformation office of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.
More recently, I supported the launch and subsequent strategic planning for the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC), a joint undertaking of Cancer Care Ontario, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, the Canadian Cancer Society’s Ontario Division, and United Steelworkers. I’ve also provided facilitation support to several of the provincial health and safety associations and the Ministry of Labour Prevention Office.
During this same period, I helped to establish the Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease (CREOD), a collaborative program of the University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital. And I continue today to work with the director, Dr. Linn Holness, on CREOD’s KT strategy and her efforts on the province’s Occupational Disease Action Plan.
The below image captures the complexity of CREOD’s strategic agenda and approach.

Projects
Learning Institute, Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
Learning Institute, Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
SickKids needed a home base for the academic hospital’s extensive teaching and inter-professional learning activities; a central education centre that could help break down silos, share and improve teaching practices and offer joint training opportunities.
I was engaged to provide strategic planning, business planning and ultimately implementation support to help develop and launch the SickKids Learning Institute.
Over a two-year period and after extensive engagement, discussion and debate, a business plan and strategy emerged that excited the discipline leaders and the hospital. We launched the SickKids Learning Institute as a formal academic pillar of the hospital.
Today the Institute is a collaborative network of educators dedicated to strengthening the integration of research, care and education. It creates innovative approaches to education, curriculum development and cross-disciplinary evaluative methods. It’s home to a state-of-the-art learning space, facilities and tools. The Institute has attracted increased institutional commitment to the education role and ultimately SickKids Foundation donor support.
The below image captures the strategies established as the Institute was forming. They served to guide and ground the effort as our vision became a reality.

Clients
A selection of our past and current clients.
- Strategic Planning
- Home Instead Senior Care
- CritiCall Ontario
- Cancer Care Ontario Populations Studies and Surveillance Program
- Hamilton Health Sciences Organizational Effectiveness Team
- Aviva Health Services Division
- Strategic Planning and Change Management Support
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital
- Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease, St. Michael’s Hospital and University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Department of Medicine
- Tim Horton Children’s Foundation (Tim Horton Camps)
- Canadian Cancer Society and the National Institute for Cancer Research (merger)
- The Learning Institute, Sick Children’s Hospital
- Occupational Cancer Research Centre, Cancer Care Ontario
- Women’s Health Research Centre, Women’s College Hospital
- Process Design and Large Group Meeting Facilitation
- Sick Children’s Hospital, development of an Advanced Model of Interprofessional Practice
- Ontario Service Safety Alliance
- Women’s College Hospital Family Practice
- The Lung Association Work-Related Asthma Project
- Public Health Ontario Infectious Disease and Prevention Control
- University of British Columbia Contraception
References
MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions / St. Michael’s Hospital
References
Cancer Care Ontario
References
Women’s College Hospital
Coaching / Executive Services
Coaching / Executive Services
- 1.0
- Executive Coaching
- 2.0
- Executive Team Development
Associates
David Swain

David’s extensive experience in both coaching the leaders of large organizations and leading them himself, imbues his consulting work with a unique and respectful appreciation of both the challenges and satisfaction of building new capabilities and achieving greater results in ever-changing business environments. He has a reputation for bringing a seasoned and calm approach to what is often a complex and charged time for an organization and its leadership group; times of crisis, times of opportunity and growth, and ultimately times of change.
www.davidswain.ca
Contact
Janet Brown
- 416-929-0684
- janetbrown@jdbrownfields.com
- JDBrownfields
- 341 ½ Wellesley Street East
- Toronto, Ontario M4X 1H2